What is a gnome?
A gnome is a spirit of the earth. One of the four elementals described by the 16th-century physician Paracelsus, who called earth spirits “pygmies” or “gnomus.” They stand alongside the undine of water, the sylph of air and the salamander of fire.
Features of the gnome
Gnomes are said to move freely through soil and rock, just as humans walk through air. They live deep underground and guard gold, silver, gems and other minerals and treasure, and they have been linked with folklore about little people of the mines. They are typically depicted as short old men with pointed hats and long beards.
The “garden gnome”
In 19th-century Germany, ceramic figures of gnomes in pointed hats began to be made, and as “garden gnomes” they became popular across Europe. Many people still display them in their gardens, and they often appear in films. Gnomes are also discussed as similar to dwarves and kobolds.
